TROPICAL FORESTS. 
85 
alone,—yon can easily see that, with their 
cunning and dexterity in climbing trees, 
they are not likely to want for food.” 
“Howl should like to see tropical forests!” 
said Kate Crediton, musingly. “ I think if 
I were a man I would like to be a professor 
of botany or natural history, and go off on 
an exploring-expedition, like Dr. Darwin 
in the Beagle, to discover new animals and 
plants. I think it would be the most de¬ 
lightful life in the world.” 
“It would have its drawbacks, probably, 
like all other modes of life,” said Miss 
Louisa; “but I agree with you, Kate, that 
it must be very pleasant. There is some¬ 
thing exceedingly fascinating, not merely in 
making new discoveries, but also in veri¬ 
fying yourself the discoveries that others 
have made before you. You know that by 
experience, Kate, in the little that you have 
studied of botany. There is a great pleasure 
—is there not?—in counting the stamens and 
pistils in a flower and comparing them with 
the descriptions in your book and thus 
finding out the name. Nobody knows how 
much they lose by not informing themselves 
on the very common things that are round 
